John wilson jenkins



Patented Feb. 2|, |899.

J. w. JENKINS.

MULTIPLYING CAMERA.

(Apphcatlon filed Dec 1, 189B (No Model.)

WW1/wm me Ncnms News co.. PHO-rauwe. WASHINGTON. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN .IVILSON JENKINS, OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EVAN L. JENKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

M ULTIPLYING-CAM ERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,036,5dated February 21, 1899.

lApplication filed December 1,1898. Serial No. 697,988. (N model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.- riation in the length of anterior focus with- Be it known that I, JOHN WILSON J ENKINs,a out perceptibly losing sharpness of the image citizen of the United States, residing at Danon the plate, although uniformity in the disville, in the county of Vermilion and State of tance from the object to the lens is desirable Illinois, have invented certain new and useful and preferable. 5 5

Improvements in Photograph-Cameras; and C represents the plate-holder, which, as

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, shown, slides into the back of the camera, but

clear, and exact description of the invention, a roll-holder or film-carrier could of course be such as will enable others skilled in the art to used instead of a plate-holder, if preferred.

1o whichit appertains to make and use the same. The lens B is mounted in a slide b, which 6o My invention relates to improvements in Slides in guides h2 on the sliding front board so-called multiphotographic cameras, and a of the camera, which front board slides in it consists in the construction, combination, guides a2 on the camera-box. Stops b3 may and arrangement of parts designed to facilibe used to prevent any possibility of the r 5 tate the manipulation of the camera, increase slide h being drawn entirely out of its guides 65 its efficiency, andimprovethecharacter of the by accident or meddlesomeness, and thus work, all as hereinafter fully described, and spoiling one row of exposures, and stops a3 specifically pointed out in the claims. on the front board are provided to cause the In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front View lens to register with a given row of the cells zo in elevation of a camera so constructed as to through which the exposures are to be made. 7o embrace my invention. Fig. 2 represents a The camera-boXA is constructed with partransverse vertical section through the same, titions e, extending its entire depth and ditaken on the line y of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 repvding it into cellsf of the desired number. resents a horizontal section through the cam- The back edge e of these partitions is faced era, taken on the line 'y e of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 with some elastic light-excluding material- 75 is a side elevation of the camera. Fig. 5 is such as felt, velvet, Snc-against which the a view in elevation of the back of the lensplate-holder O or the film, if one is used, is carrying slide. Fig. 6 is a partial sectional tightly pressed by the springs 7i back of the view showing, on a larger scale, the structural plate-holder. The plate-holder may be con- 3o details of some of the parts; and Fig. 7 is a structed with very thin guides for the slide, 8o detail illustrating a modiiied or alternative and the ledge against which the plate bears construction ofthe camera-box. also made thin, so that the plate, which is In general terms my invention comprises pressed forward by springs or kept up against a camera designed to permit the taking of a its ledge by any of the well-known means, is

number of views successively upon a single almost in actual contact with the rear ends 85 plate at any desired interval of time and with of the partitions e, and thus any diifusion of greater uniformity and much less manipulalight from the part of the plate that is exposed tion than has before been possible. In the is prevented. All of the interior parts of the drawings I have shown a camera designed to camera, plate-holder, tbc., are blackened or 4o take eight exposures on one plate, but it Otherwise made non-reflective, as is univer- 9o must be understood that it may be constructed sally done with all cameras. If deemed necto take twelve, sixteen, twenty-four, or any essary, it is obvious that the camera-box A desired number, according to` my invention. might be constructed somewhat larger at its Referring to the drawings, A represents back end, as shown in Fig. 7, and a platethe camera-box, which may be supported on holder used, which when forced forward by 95 a tripod in the usual way or carried in the the spring 7i. will allow the plate Gr to come hand like a kodak-camera. into actual contact with the partitions e, and

B represents the lens of any suitable kind, thus absolutely exclude all possibility of any but preferably one possessing what is known reflection or diffusion from one cell into an- 5o as focal depth, so that it admits of some vaother or upon any other portion of the plate. loo

To register the lens B with the center of the cells f as the slide Z) is moved, notches h4 are formed in the slide at the proper points, and a spring-actuated dogj is arranged to fall into one of the notches as the slide is moved to a position which brings the lens in correct register with any one of the cells f. This locks the slide in proper position and prevents its displacement by jarring, dsc. For convenience the notches ht may be beveled on one side, if preferred, so that the slide h can be pushed in one direction past the dog, but cannot be pushed past it in the other direction. This is sometimes convenient where it is desired to make two or more exposures in quick succession without taking time to release the dog by hand.

To locate the object central to the field of the lens, marks or pins 7c may be arranged on the top of the camera-box by means of which the object may be sighted after the manner of sighting a gun. Inasmuch as the focus is fixed this dispenses with the necessity for a finder7 and makes the operation of the camera quicker than by any other means. Any form of shutter may of course be used in making the exposure as with any camera.

In operating the camera the plate-holder is inserted, and when ready to begin work the slide is drawn out, leaving the entire plate exposed to the light-tight interior of the camera. The slide h has previously been drawn to one side and the front board a set to register the lens with one of the horizontalrows of cells, so that the first exposure will be made on one corner of the plate. The subject having been located at the proper distance and sighted, the exposure is made by removing the cap from the lens or by means of the shutter, if one is used, and as soon as the lens is capped or the shutter closed the slide Z2 is moved to the next notch and is then ready for the second exposure. IVhen one horizontal row of exposures has been made, the front board a is set to the next row, and these are successively exposed in the same way. Vhen all the exposures have been made, the slide of the plate-holder is inserted and the plateholder reversed, if a double holder is used, or replaced by another holder and plate, and the exposed plate is developed in the usual way.

Amon g the advantages of my improved camera are these: It is simpler and cheaper than other instruments capable of producing an equal grade of work; it can be used successfully by more inexperienced persons than any camera of equal capability in the grade of work; no focusing-cloth or ground glass is required; no finder is necessary; once drawing the slide suffices for all of the exposures, making less manipulation necessary; all the exposures being made by the same lens at the same distance, the negative is more uniform, its development easier,and the printing therefrom easier and better; the work can be done more rapidly, and there is no possibility of the instrument losing or changing its focus by a fall or jar. For such work as is commonly called kidnapping-that is, taking pictures of children on the streets or while at play-and for similar work this instrument is especially adapted.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a photographic camera the combination of a cellular box, a plate-holder seating against and closing the rear end of the cells, a sliding front closing the front end of the cells and having stops by which it may be fixed in relation to a particular set of cells, a lens-carrying slide moving` in guides on the sliding front, and means for adjusting the slide to register the lens with each cell of the set with which the front is in relation, wherebya separate exposure may be made in each cell of the box without moving the plate and with but once drawing the plate-holder slide, substantially as described.

2. In a photographic camera the combination of a cellular box, a plate-holder seating against and closing the rear end of the cells, a sliding front closing the front end of the cells and having stops by which it may be fixed in relation to a particular set of cells, a lens-carrying slide moving in guides on the sliding front, and a spring-actuated detent engaging notches in said lens-carrying slide and holding it in register with a cell of the camera-box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a photographie camera the combination of a cellular box, a pla-te-holder seating against and closing the rear end of the cells, a sliding front closing the front end of the cells and having stops by which it may be fixed in relation to a particular set of cells, a lens-carrying slide seated in guides on the sliding front and moving at an angle to the movement thereof, and a spring-actuated detent engaging notches in said lens-carrying slide and holding it in register with a cell of the camera-box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a photographic camera the combination of a cellular box, a plate-holder seating against and closing the rear end of the cells, a sliding front closing the front end of the cells and having stops by which it may be fixed in relation to a particular set of cells, a lens-carrying slide moving in guides on the sliding` front, sighting-pins on the camerabox, and a spring-actuated detent engaging notches in said lens-carrying slide and holding it in register with a cell of the camerabox, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my nature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN \VILSON JENKINS.

Witnesses:

IIARRIET R. Jnxxrxs, Mrs. WILLIAM S. DiLLox.

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